Surfboards and other types of boards are made from a variety of materials using different methods. Initially, surfboards were made by hand carving wood boards. Another way of manufacturing a surfboard involves the use of foam reinforced with fiberglass. Both wood and foam and fiberglass surfboards have durability problems. Another type of surfboard was developed using an epoxy and PVC and EPS core foam sandwiched between fiberglass matting. Although more durable and lighter than wood or foam reinforced fiberglass boards, such boards still have durability problems along with intensive and costly labor necessary to manufacture the boards.
Manufacturing a foam surfboard having fiberglass matting involves multiple steps, such as those illustrated in FIG. 12. The first step is to purchase a foam blank. The blank is a large piece of foam that has yet to be cut to the precise dimensions of the surfboard. There are a variety of different types of blanks for use and manufacturing different types of surfboards. For example, there are blanks for short and long surfboards.
The next step is to cut the blank down to the desired shape. This task involves selecting a template and attaching the template to the blank. The template is a standardized design according to the particular desirability of the surfboard parameters, such as the weight, shape, and width which contribute to the overall balance and feel of the surfboard. The blank is routed or cut with a saw and shaped by hand to correspond to the perimeter of the template. The blank must also be planed to the appropriate thickness. The rails of the surfboard must also be foiled. The surfboard blank is then hand sanded and shaped into the finished design shape.
Once the surfboard blank has been converted into the appropriate form, multiple finishing steps must be performed. One of the first finishing steps is to remove a portion of the blank corresponding to a fin box. A fin box includes attachment means for attaching fins relative to the fin box which in turn is attached to the surfboard. A leash plug is also inserted into the foam board. The leash plug allows for the attachment of a surfboard leash, which is used to tether the surfboard to a rider. Graphics and other artwork may be applied to the foam board.
Fiberglass matting or fiberglass weave is then applied around the entire surfboard. Resin is applied over the fiberglass matting and cured using hot coating techniques. After curing, the resin coated board is sanded to remove any ridges or bumps.
After the surfboard has been coated with fiberglass, striping and other exterior artwork may be applied. The surfboard is typically prepared for a gloss coat of resin. The gloss coat must be allowed to cure prior to hand polishing. Lastly, the surfboard must be cleaned to remove any dust resulting from polishing of the gloss coat.
Many of the typical steps described above requires skilled technicians adding to the increased cost of labor, resulting in a costly surfboard. A typical surfboard made using the above process will take up to ninety-six hours, including drying and curing time. Moreover, many of the functions involve subjective shaping decisions and techniques, which can result in non-uniform surfboards, even when made using identical templates.